Harry Potter & the Council of Sorcerer's Integrity
by A J.K. Rowling
Summary: Harry Potter & friends embark on the fifth year of Hogwarts in the alternate version of Order of the Phoenix. Sports, dances, exams, all of the activities of normal school, but students here are learning other R's: Runes and a'Rinthmancy, and of course t
1. The Council Begins

CHAPTER I  
  
  
It was the best day of Harry's adolescent life. Harry Potter, now 14 and 11 months, was not only awaiting his fifteenth birthday in 3 weeks, but the next two Dudley-free weeks! Tommorrow, Dudley would be leaving for summer camp. Nearly a month ago, at one of Uncle Vernon's social functions for work (an event for brown-nosing of all sorts) one of his co-workers suggested to Aunt Petunia Camp Young-n-Chubby. She was horrified at first, because she still insisted Dudley was merely big-boned, and the thought of him being away for such a long time was dreadful.  
After much persuation that her son's results were astounding, and assurance that telephone, postcard, and e-mail communications would be available, Petunia decided to ask Vernon.  
For two whole days, Petunia and Vernon refused to speak to one another until the July 5th, when a group of older Smeltings boys from summer school managed to steal and fit 3 boys in a pair of Dudley's trousers, flying Dudley's underpants on the flagpole.  
"Petunia," Vernon spoke sullenly after hanging up the telephone, shaking his head, "What the number for that bloody camp?" Dudley had recieved twenty-three going-away presents this morning, and was still storming angriliy around the house, looking for even the smallest reasons to abuse Harry.   
"What do you think YOU'RE doing?!" He scowled. Harry turned in midstep. He was just heading to his room to avoided getting his ears boxed in again as he had just had before after making too much noise with the toaster. "WHY are you breathing so LOUDLY?!" Dudley snapped.   
"Are you crazy?" Harry shouted, "Leave me alone!" Dudley opened his mouth to retort.   
"I've got a little going away present in my room I've been wanting to give you, Dudley. I know how much you LOVE toffee..." Dudley huffed at him, and stumbled off in the opposite direction.  
Next morning, they had gone to see Dudley off to the bus.  
"Now, Dudders, don't let anybody pick on you. Be sure to write evryday!" said a sobbing Aunt Petunia.   
"Make some new friends!" Uncle Vernon nudged Harry in the ribs.   
"Ouch! Oh, um have fun, Dudley," said Harry, trying not to look so happy.  
The following 3 weeks were the best Harry could ever remember whilst living with the Dursleys. No more loud noises, annoying computer games, and best of all no Harry-hunting, but as all good things come, the 3 weeks would also come to a halting end.   
  
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Harry was just sitting there, thinking longingly of the weeks Dudley was gone, when a huge barn owl flew in, accompanied by Ron's owl Pigwidgeon, a tawny owl, and Harry's own snowy owl, Hedwig. Each of them were carrying packages, but Pigwidgeon was having a lot of trouble w/ his. Harry took Hedwig's package first, which was from Hermione. It was heavy, and he threw it on the bed, and ripped open the envelope bearing his birthday card. It read:   
  
Dear Harry,   
Happy Birthday! Hope you're well. Your relatives don't seem too friendly to you. How was Dudley's camp? It must've been awful for him, but fun for  
you. Anyways, enclosed is your birthday present-I think it will come in handy! Sorry I haven't kept in touch, but I'm on holiday in Bulgaria with Viktor.  
See you in Diagon Alley!   
With Love,   
Hermione  
  
He chuckled when reading about "Vikki" as Ron called Viktor Krum, Hermione's boyfriend-it still felt odd saying "Hermione's boyfriend", it just felt, well, weird! Harry ripped open the parcel and had to stifle his snorts of laughter at the present-"A guide to your O.W.L.S.", by Gwenda Johnstone. The present also gave Harry a jolt-his Ordinary Wizarding Levels test is this year. Still chuckling, he took the package from Pigwidgeon carefully, so as not to hurt him. It, too was heavy, but not as big as Hermione's. He pulled the card taped to it off and looked at the cover for a while, then opened it. It was a letter that looked somewhat official. It read:   
  
Dear Mr. Potter,   
As one of our investors, we would like to keep you informed on our progress. Thanks to your donation, we have been extremely successful with  
buying and selling. We are happy to say that profits are up 110%. As a token of our graditude, we have taken the liberty of sending you a little  
gift that we beleive will come in handy. I hope you enjoy it!   
  
-Weasley's Wizard Wheeses Co.   
  
Laughing, Harry opened the box. "Wow!" he breathed. Inside was TONS of dangerous things from Fred and George Weasley's joke shop. There were millions of Ton-Tongue Toffes, a few fake wands, Canary Creams, and tons of new stuff he'd never seen before from Fred and George. Digging through the box, he saw the card and present from Ron down at the bottom of the box. He opened the card.   
  
Dear Harry,   
Happy Birthday! Hope the muggles are treating you okay. Are you gonna come visit soon? Mum and Dad said it was okay for you to come in a  
few days' time. Talk to your Aunt and Uncle about it, and send Pig back with an answer. Hope you can come.   
  
-Ron   
Harry opened the second note pinned to it.   
  
Harry,   
I couldn't think of what to get you, when Dad took us to a Chudley Cannons match, and decide to get this for you. Hope you like it!   
-Ron   
  
Harry opened the parcel. It contained a poster, folded up very tiny and very carefully. It was a poster signed by-  
the CHUDLEY CANNONS! "Whoa, Ron!" Harry got some tape and stuck it to his wall. Smiling, he moved on to the next one. It was the barn owl. It conatined a letter from Hgrid and another letter from Hogwarts concerning his school supplies.   
  
Dear Harry,   
Happy Birthday! Hope yeh're havin' fun during summer break. If th' Dursleys are treatin' yeh rotten, let me know an' I'll rough 'em up a bit.  
On'y joking. Have an nice summer(or at least what's left of it)!   
-Hagrid   
  
Inside was a Frog Spawn Kit, complete with the spawn and a book guide of how to care for it. Harry, glad that it didn't bite, sat down  
on his bed for a few minutes before releiving the last owl of it's burden.  
It was a small package from-Sirius!   
  
Dear Harry,   
Happy Birthday! Your present isn't much, but it was the best I could do. Right now, I'm staying at Remus' house, but I'll be leaving soon to  
go on a task Dumbledore has sent me on. I can't tell you what it is, so don't ask. Keep me updated on anything unusual. Have a good summer break.   
  
-Sirius   
  
It was a small pockewatch, engraved with the words, "Happy Birthday! From your Godfather". It was sleek and shiny. Harry put it on the middle of the dresser, engraved side up, so that anyone who came into the room (which was only Harry) would be able to see it. Smiling, he looked at the clock. It was 4:00 AM! Yawning, Harry changed into his pajamas and went to bed, forgetting to take off his glasses.   
  
****************************************   
  
"Let's bring this meeting of The Coucil of Sorceror's Integrity into order!" Dumbledore said. Immediately, there was silence.  
"I have called you all here today to discuss our most pressing situation since this council was founded-the rise of Lord Voldemort." All around the table there was a hushed whiper and many fidgeted in their seats. "This means," said Dumbledore loudly, so as to be herad over them. "that we must once again join forces, despite our many disputes, to stop this great evil power from destroying everything we have worked so hard to rebuild. Hagrid, Madam Maxime. What is your report on the giants?"   
"Zey 'ave agreed to join us, but on certain terms," said Madame Maxime uncomfortably. When no one made any move to speak, she continued. "Zey want a small part of our land." She pased, then "Zey want Azkaban," she said gloomily. Immediatly there were outbursts of rage. "Azkaban? That's insane!" "Of course you won't agree to this, will you, Albus?" "Give up Azkaban? Now see here-" Dumbledore held up one hand to stop the noise. "Nicholas, what do YOU think?" he finally said.  
"Well Albus, I think that we should try to negotiate with them. If they want Azkaban, give it to them, BUT they must guard the prisoners as well," Nicholas said. Dumbledore looked around the table to see if anyone disagreed.  
"Very well then. Hagrid?"   
"Yes sir," Hagrid answered.  
"Will you and Madame Maxime please try and speak with the giants about all this? Thank you Hagrid," he said, for Hagrid had nodded his head and was getting out of his seat. "Mr. Flamel, have you seen to it that the dementors were taken off guard at Azkaban and replaced with Ministry members? Excellent. Could you please inform them of the change in plans?" Nicholas nodded his head.  
"Come, Perenelle," he said to his wife.   
"The rest of you, keep your eyes peeled and inform me of anything you hear, even if it is just a wild rumor. Thank you. This meeting of The Council of Sorceror's Integrity is hereby adjourned."   
  
  
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Harry was walking through Hogwarts, going up the stairs, through secret passage ways until he got to the Divination classroom.  
He descended up the ladder and Professor Trelawny was talking. "Harry, come here. That's right. Come here, Harry. I will now per-"but then  
she turned into Uncle Vernon.  
"What are you doing, boy?" Harry jerked back to consciousness. Somehow, he was in Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's bedroom. Shocked, all Harry could do was stare. Then he realized his foot was on the windowsill, as though preparing to jump off. He mumbled something, then went back to his room and couldn't sleep, so he spent all morning studying for his O.W.L.'s. He got dressed and came downstairs for breakfast. It was around 6:00 AM, so Aunt Petunia and Dudley weren't awake yet, and Uncle Vernon was getting ready for work. Uncle Vernon was searching for his keys when Harry timidly said,  
"Uncle Vernon?" He jumped, looked around and said,   
"What?"   
"I was wondering if I could stay with the Weasleys for the rest of summer break." He held his breath, scowled, opened and closed his mouth a few times (which made him look remarkably like an over-fed fish), then-  
"Alright. If you can behave until then and stay there for the remainder of the summer. You find out when they're coming here, and HOW they're coming here. None of this Foofo Powder and Mimble-wimble."   
"Yes, Uncle Vernon." For some odd reason, he seemed to be in a very good mood. Then Harry realized, it was the order of drills he was making today to one of his biggest customers.   
Harry quickly went up the stairs and wrote a reply to Ron.   
  
Dear Ron,   
Thanks for the birthday present. I've got it hanging up on my wall-I love it! The muggles said I could come. They want me to find out when and how you're coming to get me. Hope to see you soon!   
-Harry   
  
Harry packed up all of his belongings into one suitcase, and went back downstairs for lunch.  
  
The next evening Harry was trudging back towards his room with some more ink.   
"Blimey," he mumbled, "how much homework could they give us!" Harry pushed open his door and sat on one edge of his bed that didn't have parchment, spellbooks, or quills on it. He picked up his letter he had received from Hogwart's only a few days ago, reading it over again, carefully. Just a few months ago, when they had left for summer holiday, Harry had thought they had gotten off with an easy amount of holiday work, but now realized it was only HALF of the summer's work. It was actually a good thing sometimes, that he was cooped up in his room most of the time. (To look at it with the "glass half full" perspective") At least he had finished his first half of work.  
Harry started to pick up a quill when he heard a tiny chirp in the distance. harry excitedly sprung from the bed, splattering some ink from the tiny bottle in his hand, to the gray carpet. That hoot was all too familiar to Harry, and in a second, a blurr of feathers sped past, dropping a piece of parchment onto the floor.  
"Pig!" Harry whispered so not wake his Aunt and Uncle. Harry leapt up and caught they little bird on the first try. "Hey, I'm getting pretty good at this. Maybe Ron should write me more often." Harry opened Hedwig's cage, to put Pig in, and Hedwig ruffled her feathers in protest. "...Or maybe not." Harry said jokingly. Harry closed the doors, and stooped to retrieve the letter from Ron. It read:   
  
Harry, we can pick you up the day after tommorrow at 8:00AM. That's not too soon is it? Will you have time to pack? If you need an extra day,  
just send Pig back saying so. I wrote you a letter to explain how brilliant it was when we met the Chudley Cannons, but it was three scrolls  
long and Mum said she didn't want me to give Pig a stroke.   
  
See ya,  
Ron  
  
P.S.We'll be coming to your house by some of the Ministry cars. After last year, Dad had to pull quite a few strings to get them.  
  
Harry looked over at the tiny ball of feathers and thought that Mrs. Weasley was probably right. Although Harry couldn't wait to hear  
how Ron met his favorite quidditch team. He would just have to wait another day.   
Harry put the letter down on the bed, and saw a splotchy black fingerprint on the back. Then he noticed he was still holding his ink bottle.   
He groaned as he looked to the floor, and the dark stain spreading over the carpet. Harry opened his door, and peered out to make sure  
no one was upstairs, then pulled his bed over the tainted area. 


	2. Nightmares

Chapter II  
  
  
Blackness, a sea of eternal deepness and emptiness surrounded Harry, smothering him. He flailed his arms to find a way out, and felt sharp metal pierce his right side. He couldn't worry about a cut now, though. He felt iron bars, he was caged in like an animal. A sense of claustraphobia closed in on Harry, and though he had not the faintest idea where he was, he knew he had to get out. Panic raced through his veins, and pumped furiously from his racing heart as he tore at the bars. Then, the bars grew thorns, and cut at his fingers. He didn't care. He HAD to get out. Then, just as suddenly, a small beam of blue light broke through the darkness. The bars were gone. There was a strange sort of blue light that seemed to float all around Harry, swirling over his skin and into his heart, lifting his troubles, and it seemed to carry him upwards along a river of light. Music from faraway beckoned him with sweet harmonic voices, as the scent of honeysuckle cascaded over his body, intoxicating him. Harry lifted his hand, he wanted to reach the voices echoing down to him. He streched out his arm and it all fell away. He had broken the wonderful ending to the dream, and he almost didn't want to come back to the real world. His room back at the Dursleys came into view, and the sharp pain in his side that woke him, began to throb violently. Startled, Harry dropped his outstreched arm and clutched his aching side to find every movement was excruciatingly painful. He forced himself to sit up, and he noticed a large slotch of blood on his sheet. He pulled it away to reveal a deep slash on his side, and splinters and cuts on his fingers. There were rings of blood around his fingernails, which felt as if they could fall off any second. It couldn't have been real though, he was thinking when he heard a scream from the kitchen.  
Harry threw on his bath robe to cover the dried blood caked on his side, and limped towards the door. His muscles screamed in protest, but he knew that whatever had just happened in the kitchen, wasn't anything Aunt Petunia would normally scream about. Harry had only heard a similar horrified scream, when Dudley's tongue had become the size of a sack of potatoes. He reached the foot of the steps to find claw marks all over the floral wallpaper. Harry could hear Uncle Vernon's booming voice coming from inside the kitchen along with Aunt Petunia's muffled sobs. Had someone tried to break in? Were they after Harry? Harry had had strange dreams before when someone was trying to kill Harry. Was that what had happened now? He couldn't remember the dream, but he knew the panicking fear, and the soothing calm still hung in his heart. He started to feel that panic return a bit when he entered the kitchen. Aunt Petunia was crying vehemently into Uncle Vernon's chest, and Uncle Vernon was yelling into the telephone.  
"Yes, breaking and entering, possibly a murder." Vernon noticed Harry in the doorway, and gave a look as if there should've been a murder: Harry's. Vernon motioned threateningly for Harry to leave. "No, I don't think they've stolen anything. I don't bloody know! You're the police officer, you tell me!"  
Harry started towards the door when a gleaming knife on the floor caught his eye. It was lying in a ring of blood. Drips were all over the floor and counter as if there was some sort of struggle. The windowsill above the sink was the worst though; claw marks everywhere, and blood. Harry was starting to become sick with the sight of blood, and decided to leave the room thinking how happy he would be if he never had to see it again. That's when he caught another site of it on his hand, and he again began to realize the pain draining his body. He would return to his bed, in hopes that it would all go away by tonight. Tonight! Tonight the Weasleys were coming to pick him up and Harry could escape from everything back at the Dursley's. Harry finally reached his bed after what had seemed like climbing Mount Everest, and plopped onto the soft mattress, longing for his friends at the burrow. He just lay there thinking, and staring at the clock near his bed.  
Harry had just finished cleaning out his wounds when he heard a knock downstairs at the front door. Harry flung the towel he was using back on the rack, and stumbled down the stairs as fast as he could. His bags were already at the foot of the steps by the door, and Harry waited anxiously by them for Uncle Vernon to open the door. Aunt Petunia had said she needed to go to the grocer's (even though she had just went yesterday) and said she was taking Dudley with her, who, if the Weasley's weren't coming today, would have noisily objected. Under the circumstances, however, Dudley was very eager to be far from the house when the wizards arrived. Uncle Vernon gave a stern look to Harry.  
"Get your bags, and I want you out of the house as soon as I open this bloody door, understand?" Harry nodded. "Good." The door swung open, to reveal the bright face of Mr. Weasley. Harry quickly began to roll his suitcase out the door.  
"Hello, Harry. What are you in such a hurry for?" Harry gave Mr. Weasley a look that told him not to ask. "Oh... well" he said to Uncle Vernon who seemed to be ignoring his presence altogether. "I guess we had better be going. We have to make good time; quite a drive, you know. " Harry could see Uncle Vernon glance at the long black car parked in the middle of the street in front of the Dursley's house. "Well, nice seeing you again, Mr. Dursley." Mr. Weasley tipped his hat, and followed Harry to the car. They loaded their things up and started off.  
Harry was seated in between Fred and Ron. "So, how was the Chudley Cannons game?" Harry grinned as Ron went into a whole commentary of it, interrupted of course, by Fred and George, and occasionally Ginny. "Unbeleiveable, Harry! They were diving and swooping and making shots like you wouldn't dream! And-" "It's a shame it was only for two days, I would have loved to see more!" "He's lying, they reeked! Nothing like us, right Harry? That cup's ours this year!" Harry could see Fred and George were still interested in playing Quddicth. The conversation went on like that for quite some time, then-"Look! We're here!" Harry smiled, looking at the oh, so memorable garden of Mrs. Weasley, and-was that a gnome? Ron grabbed one of Harry's suitcases, while Harry lugged the other one. They entered the kitchen to see Mrs. Weasley already starting on supper. "Harry, dear! How lovely to see you! Percy's at work right now, but he should be home soon. My, how you've grown!" Mrs. Weasley pulled him into a quick, tight hug and Ron, pink-faced, suggested very quickly that they head upstairs to his room. Willingly, Harry agreed.   
They went down to the kitchen that night, and ate the most wonderful cooking Harry had ever tasted. He didn't join in any of the conversation, for two reasons: 1. He was starving and loved the food, and 2. Percy arrived and was talking about the new Head of Magical Cooperation, taking Mr. Crouch's job. Harry was actually quite interested in it. "Oh, he's wonderful all right, but he could never measure up to what Mr. Crouch was. I still can't beleive he retired and is living in Brazil! I will miss him, though." Laughing, Harry sat there and ate, and ate and ate, until he was full. He had had fourth helpings of everything, and he felt he would explode. They helped Mrs. Weasley clear off the table and went upstairs. Filled to the bursting point with delicious food and extremely warm and content, Harry fell asleep almost instantly.   
*******************************************************   
Harry was in a strange room, surrounded by people in masks. There were many of them, too many to fight of. He tried using all of his hexes and counter-curses, but none of them were effecient. He seemed to have lost his touch over the Holidays. He threw on his Invisbility Cloak and carefully ran away from them He slowed to a walking pace, and found Cedric. He was trying to say something to him, but couldn't get the message out. He pointed behind Harry. He turned around and saw Voldemort, staring him in the face. He grinned and raised his wand, but started changing. He had red hair and freckles.  
"Harry, what are you doing?" Harry snapped awake. Ginny was standing there in the Weasley's kitchen, holding a glass of water. Harry had his hand on the doorknob. "Are you leaving?"  
"No, I was ...sleepwalking ... I guess. Better go back to bed," Harry said. He trudged up the steps and fell onto Ron's other bed. He fell back asleep and when he woke in the morning, he didn't remember a thing   
During breakfast, Ginny kept throwing Harry worried looks. Seeing this, Ron said,  
"Ginny, can I talk to you for a minute?" Harry, completely clueless, wondered what this was all about. There was a muffled conversation between the two and then they came back. Ron kept looking at Harry. He couldn't take much more of it.  
"Ron, I'm finished. How about we go up to your room or something?" Startled, Ron looked up.  
"Huh? Oh yeah, sure." As soon as they got there, Ron slammed the door shut behind them. Harry winced.  
"Sorry about that. Harry, what's up with you lately?" Harry pulled his shirt up a bit to show Ron his injuries. Ron's eyes widened. "Harry...you didn't do this, did you? I mean, you've always been a bit wild, but this..." Harry caught on.  
"What? NO! Of course not Ron. I'm not that thick!" Ron glanced at it again. It was a nasty cut, and was starting to develop a bruise around it.  
"Then who-?"  
"I don't know who, but I know when and how. There was a break-in at the Dursley's the night before I left. They found a knife on the floor after I found my injuries." Ron's eyes widened.   
"You don't think You-Know-Who could've-?" Harry shook his head.  
"Nah, he would've used a wand." Ron touched it gingerly. Harry winced. Ron quickly withdrew his hand. "But who?" Harry just shrugged his shoulders.  
"What about you sleep-walking, eh?" Harry put his shirt back down.  
"I don't know, I've only done it a few times." Ron made a move towards the door.  
"We've got to tell my parents, or at least my dad." Harry stopped him. "No way! They would be worried sick about me! Your mum would collapse if she saw it!" Ron stopped. "You're right. But then, what do we do? -Write to Dumbledore?".  
"No" Harry quickly interjected. "He's got enough on his hands with Voldemort, and banding forces together to stop him. He doesn't need to worry about me."  
"But do you remember what happened the last time when you should have wrote to him about your scar hurting?" Ron shouted.  
"C'mon, Ron. I was probably just sleepwalking when I knocked some things off of the counter." Harry ventured.  
"And you didn't wake up when that knife convientely butchered your side?" Ron gave Harry a sarcastic frown and flinched a bit. "At least write to Sirius." Harry rolled his eyes and continued exasperatedly.  
"I can't. Last time I wrote him when my scar hurt he came all the way to Hogsmeade. I can't endanger him like that again." Ron was looking at Harry as if he was so stupid to be making the same mistake another time. "Ron, look, I sleepwalk. Big deal! Tons of other kids do it. This one kid down on Privet Drive was wandering out in the middle of the street a couple of years ago in the dead of night. My Aunt Petunia had gossiped with plenty of her friends about how he was out vandalizing the area. Later the kid's mum came up to her and told her off." Ron sniggered. "The woman said that he had sleptwalk for almost as long as she could remember, and he had managed to get out of the house. At least I haven't gotten that far." Harry gave Ron a serious and almost intimidating look. "This isn't serious, and I really don't need Malfoy teasing me about this when we get back at school, okay?" Ron nodded.  
"But if it gets worse," there was a look of deep concern in Ron's eyes, "I mean if something serious happens, tell someone. Please?" Harry agreed.  
"Okay, I wasn't sure if I should tell you this, with everything going on, but Hermione sent us an owl earlier." Ron handed it to Harry. A faint smell of vanilla and poppies escaped from the envelope when Harry opened it. It read:  
Dear Harry & Ron,  
I just got back from Bulgaria the day before yesterday, and I got your owl about Harry staying for summer break. It' s so beautiful in Bulgaria. Victor said he would like to visit during Christmas break, but we're not sure yet. I'm off work tommorrow and I was wondering if you wanted to come and visit for the day. I realized that we've all been to Ron's, but I've never invited you to my house! So I was hoping you could come over at about 8:30, I can give you a tour of my house, and where I work, and then we could go over to Alton Towers since it opens at 11:00. Ron, do you think you your dad could hook us up to the floo powder network by tommorrow? Write back.  
~Hermione  
"Alton Towers?" Harry gave Ron a suspicious look. "What's that?"  
"I asked my dad, and he said he hadn't heard of it either. Probably some muggle thing." Harry knew if it did have something to do with muggles, the Weasleys would be the last to hear of it. They weren't exactly the most knowledgeable people about things outside of the wizarding world.  
"Probably a library, knowing Hermione." joked Harry.  
"I hope not" said Ron, "I'm already having a time keeping up with all of our Hogwarts homework besides taking a class about some muggle things from Hermione! Could you imagine her as a teacher?" Harry thought that Hermione would make a pretty good teacher. Strict, nonetheless, but her students would really learn something, unlike in Divination.  
"Wait a tick," Harry was looking at the letter again. "Hermione has a job?" Harry looked surprised.  
"I guess so. She didn't write anything to me about it before though." Ron looked to Harry.  
"She didn't say anything to me either." Harry looked at the clock where Arthur Weasley's hand was still on "work". "Do you think we'll be able to get a hold of your dad at work before it's too late?"  
"Oh, I told him to hook Hermione's house up before he went to work. I didn't really think we would be going or anything..." He trailed off, and Harry knew Ron was going to bring it up again. "Will you talk to Hermione about it at least? I mean she is one of your best friends, and you know she'll end up finding out. If you didn't tell her right away, she'd feel hurt. Like... like you felt you couldn't trust her." Harry sensed something in Ron's voice.  
"You don't feel like that, do you Ron?" Ron looked at the floor.  
"Well, you just tend to keep alot of secrets, and Hermione and I seem to be left in the dark..." Harry cut him off.  
"I'm sorry if it makes you feel like that. I really had no idea. I just wanted to figure things out first, so you and Hermione don't end up getting hurt. Maybe... maybe I just don't trust myself. Like you and Hermione might end up like, like..."  
"Cedric?" Ron finished. Harry nodded. "Don't beat yourself up about it. I mean -well -uh... no pun intended." Ron was looking nervously at the cuts on Harry's hands. Harry laughed. "There wasn't anything you could have done to save him." Harry choked back the lump forming in his throat. As much as Harry knew this to be true, he still felt this nagging feeling that if he had only grabbed that trophy one second before Cedric, he would still be alive.  
Ron broke the awkward silence again, "So Hermione was in Bulgaria, with ... him?"  
"Victor." Harry said.  
"Yeah, yeah. Are they an "item" now or something?" Harry wasn't quite sure how to answer. "How come Hermione didn't tell us when she was going?" Harry shrugged his shoulders. "What's she thinking anyways; going all the way up in Bulgaria? He's too old for her, and she barely knows him and- " Harry put a hand on Ron's shoulder.  
"Are you her friend, or her father?" Harry laughed, and Ron threw Harry a sideways glance.  
"I'm just saying that for the smartest person to go through Hogwart's, she couldn't have been so bright to go running off with that hoodlum."  
"Ahh, but a hoodlum with an action figure." Harry smirked at the reference to the same action figure Ron owned just last year. "Maybe when you really like someone you don't quite think as clearly." Harry made a muffled cough that sounded distinctly like 'Fleur'. Ron began to look angry so Harry changed the subject. "So do you want to have a go on the Firebolt?" A wide grin spread across Ron's face.  
"Would I?!" The boys grabbed the broomstick and ran outside. 


	3. Home Soon

Chapter III  
  
"Supper!" Mrs. Weasley called out to Ron, Ginny, and Harry. The three rushed inside to wash their hands and faces. Ron got to the sink just ahead of Harry, and the two began to push each other playfully.  
"Ron, Don't!" Ginny scolded him. Ron grabbed his wand, and tapped the spiggot which began to spew forth a rush of foamy bubbles.  
"Awww, c'mon Ginny!" Ron laughed as he threw a handful of bubbles at her. Ginny stood for a moment in seeming shock, then unexpectedly splashed a faceful of water at Ron. Harry laughed, and Ron splashed him back. Soon the room was busy with ducking and splashing, and laughter. Then a short figure stood in the doorway.  
Harry stopped dead in his tracks, and an extraordinarily large wave crashed on his matted hair. Ginny hung her head in shame. Ron noticed their expressions, and turned slowly to see the fiery red-head in a full-fledged rage.  
"Uh-oh." Ron gulped. Mrs. Weasley just stood there, shocked. She moved towards them. "I ask you to wash up for dinner, and I find you're sopping wet and the bathroom's a mess!" She glowered at them. "Get this mess cleaned up after dinner." She pulled her wand from her robes and pointed it at their robes, and they were immediately dry. They all sulked into the kitchen behind her, where seven empty plates lay waiting beside steaming pots of food.  
Harry, Ron, and Ginny took three seats at the opposite end of the table from Mrs. Weasley, and sat quietly listening to the radio playing in the far corner of the room, waiting for Fred and George. Mrs. Weasley looked at her watch.  
"What ARE they doing?" She tapped her fingers impatiently. Suddenly, a sound like thundering rhinos echoed down from upstairs. Fred and George hopped down from the steps, and ran to their places at the table.  
"Where's dad?" George asked.  
"He said he would be a bit late tonight. Something came up at work." Mrs. Weasley looked at Fred who was sitting strangely silent.  
"Are you coming down with something, dear?" Fred shook head head vehemently, and dug into some green beans. Now that Harry thought about it, Fred did look a bit green. Fred's answer was convincing enough, however, for Mrs. Weasley turned to her food. "Harry, would you be a darling and pass the ham, please?"  
"Harry nodded and reached for the plate with sliced ham layered in a neat circle. He had just lifted it, and begun to pass it when he stopped. He thought he had heard something coming from the radio, but it couldn't be...  
Harry listened harder, and everyone in the room froze. He could have sworn he had heard his name between the melodiuos voices playing over by the stove. He began to hear what they were saying now that everyone in the room grew silent.  
"He survived what the strongest could not, and foiled the dark lord's evil plot," Harry's eyes widened. "His scar's the only evidence he's got." Ginny looked away, and Ron pretended to be particularly interested in the green beans on his plate. "Harry Potter you'll be home someday." Fred and George giggled next to Mrs. Weasley, who nudged George in the ribs. "Now everyone knows your name, And you couldn't hide from fame, People flock to shake your hand." Mr. Weasley's hand on the clock began to change from "work" to "travelling", but no one really noticed. "Don't let them lead you far astray, Harry Potter, you'll be home someday ." Mrs. Weasley tried to break the awful silence and changed the subject, as if she couldn't hear the song.  
"Umm... Harry dear, could you pass me the ham now?" Harry seemed to break from the state of shock he was in.  
"The narrow-minded muggles locked him under the stairs, taking his kind for a group of outlandish squares..." Harry picked up the ham again, and cleared the tightness from his throat.  
"Sure." Mr. Weasley entered the room, and sat down in his place at the table by Harry.  
"Busy day at the Ministry. Crazy...." He noticed the awkward looks all around the table, and Fred and George trying to refrain from their laughter. "May I ask what-" He must have heard what was playing just then, because he sat up stiffly straight and picked up a fork.  
"...then he got the letter that answered his prayers.... you'll be home soon."  
"So, I bet you've gotten sick of hearing that song, huh Harry?" Mr. Weasley gave Harry a little smirk as he talked over the music.  
"So he was off to study at school, but to solve the mystery he'll disregard each rule,  
it will all lead up to a climactic duel........ home soon."  
Harry forced a small chuckle.  
"It's the first time I've heard it, and I think I'm already sick of it." Ron held back a snigger, and Mrs. Weasley glared at him.  
"I think we've had enough music for today..." She was just about to turn the dial.  
"Wait." said Harry, "I think I should hear the end." Mrs. Weasley gave him a look to say 'at least I warned you...'  
"Home for summer break may not be home for you, You'll find home... someday,  
In the love of those whose hearts are true.....  
Now everyone knows your name...." Ginny was humming along, and Ron threw her an angry look as the chorus continued, and then the last verse  
"Now Harry has a group of friends that takes his tattered heart and mends, This trio will last through all ends....  
Harry Potter........  
you are...  
home" Harry listened as the song finished, " Find you are home.........you are home..........make someday today....you are  
................................home." The song ended and the fuzzy voice of a dj came through the speakers.  
"There you have it; the number one song for 12 straight weeks. It's broken the record of longest running #1 song in the world and highest orb sales, bumping it from gold to platinum! The Weird Sisters with "A Tribute To Harry Potter". As you all know this boy-" Mrs. Weasley shut off the radio, and they all went back to their meals.  
"So, Ginny, why don't you show Harry their orb you've got?" Fred said sarcastically, and Ron and George supressed histeric sniggers. Ginny blushed across the room, and Mrs. Weasley glared at them each. "I'm just durprised you didn't write that one first. What with your past compositions." George forced a cough that sounded distinctly like "Valentine's", creating laughter among the three boys. Harry pretended not to hear them. Mrs. Weasley stood angrily  
"So.... Arthur, what were you saying about work today?" Mrs. Weasley changed the subject hastily.  
"Hmm?" Mr. Weasley mumbled through a mouthful of potatoes. He swallowed. "Well, I don't think I am at liberty to say..." He frowned as he stared down at his plate. "...strictly confidential business." The room grew quiet, and no one asked anymore questions.  
That night, Ron pulled down his sheets, and was about to climb into bed when Harry entered.  
"I almost forgot!" Ron exclaimed as Harry lied down on the bed. Ron hurried to the door, shut it tight, and locked it.  
"Thanks." Harry said flatly. He was really hoping for a long slumber tonight. He hadn't had a decent night's sleep since the Triwizard's Tournament, and after all the broomstick riding they did this afternoon, Harry was particularly tired out. He was very aware of just how badly out of shape he was. He was hoping to practice more often during his stay at the Weasley's, now that he had left the Dursley's for the summer. 


	4. The Burrow

Chapter IV  
  
"Wake up, you two." Harry blinked sharply in the bright sunlight streaming in from the window. "Get ready to go. Breakfast is ready downstairs." Harry slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He could hear the groaning from under the ball of sheets on Ron's bed. Harry breathed in the sweet aroma of doughnuts and hot tea. Harry stretched and went to wake Ron.  
  
"Ron." Harry shook his shoulder. An indistinguishable series of muffled mumbling emitted from under the covers. "C'mon, Ron!" Harry said, slightly louder. "Breakfast!" As if by magic words, a head full of ruffled blazing red hair poked up from beneath the sea of Chudley Cannons bed sheets.  
  
"Smells like doughnuts," Ron said, stretching. Harry and Ron raced down to the kitchen, where everyone was finishing up, and a sack of powdered doughnuts lay in the center of the table.  
  
"I see you two have decided to join us," Mrs. Weasley said as she pointed her wand at the fryer near the sink, which began to fill with suds.  
  
"I'm going to go ahead and tell the Grangers we may be a little late," Mr. Weasley said, pushing in his chair and eyeing Harry and Ron, who both were still in their pajamas. Ginny jumped from her seat, looking down at her feet.  
  
"Can I go with you, Dad?" Harry thought he saw her glance in his direction for a moment, but he hardly noticed as he started on his second doughnut. "I'm ready to go." She looked at Mr. Weasley, who nodded.  
  
"Sure. Grab your suitcase." Ginny whisked past Harry and followed her father into the adjacent room.  
  
"You boys had better finish," Mrs. Weasley said, conducting the dish rags in their work with her wand.  
  
''C'mon, let's go wash up," Harry said, getting up from the table and nudging Ron.  
  
"Alright," Ron managed through a mouthful. He snatched two doughnuts off his plate, and the boys hurried to the upstairs loo.  
  
"You okay?" he asked Harry, looking at him in the mirror. "You look a little disoriented."  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. He paused for a few moments then, "Did you know that your sister didn't send the, er...valentine to me in our second year?" Ron swiveled around and grabbed Harry by the shoulders.  
  
"Harry, please tell me that's not what you're upset about. I mean, c'mon, that was three years ago." Harry shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Well, we never actually knew who sent it; we just assumed it was her." Ron had a very pained look on his face as he shook his head, almost sympathetically.   
  
"I cannot believe that I'm having this conversation with my best friend," he said in an undertone to himself. "Harry, it's Ginny. My sister. Forget about it." He said, pronouncing every syllable very loudly.   
  
"I know, I didn't mean that-" Ron cut him off.  
  
"Good." There was an awkward silence before Harry asked,  
  
"Where do you keep your sponges?" Ron opened a cabinet and tossed Harry a sponge.  
  
"Are you sure you're alright? You're freaking me out here." Harry threw the sponge back at Ron.   
  
"I'm fine."   
  
"Phew!" Ron spat a mouthful of frothing bubbles while Harry hurriedly rubbed a towel through his wet hair. Ron gurgled with a glass of water, spat again, then turned to Harry.  
  
"So Ginny didn't send the valentine" Ron grabbed a comb and ran it through his hair. "Then who was it?" Ron grabbed a small black bottle from the cupboard and, quick as lightning, dabbed it on his neck and shoved it back in.  
  
"What was that?" Harry asked with a smirk.  
  
"What? Um..." Ron looked at the mirror nervously. Harry reached for the cupboard and grabbed the bottle. "It's just a little cologne." Ron squealed. "Please don't tell Fred and George," Ron begged. Harry laughed, just as he heard Mrs. Weasley's voice booming from downstairs.  
  
"C'mon boys, we're already late!" Harry ran down the steps as Ron threw on a T-shirt and fumbled with his belt. They reached the bottom of the stairs and Mrs. Weasley guided them towards the fireplace. Harry got an uneasy feeling in his stomach.  
  
"Not again…" Mrs. Weasley patted his shoulder.  
  
"There, there dear. Just try to relax and remember to enunciate. Ron will go first, then you. I'll follow up behind. Grab you're suitcases, and hold on tight to them. It's such a bother going through the Ministry's Floo Powder Baggage Claims, and you don't want to wear the same clothes the whole trip." Mrs. Weasley handed Ron a slip of paper, and he read the address off from it. He was gone in a whirl and Harry stepped towards the fireplace. Mrs. Weasley handed him another piece of paper with the same address. He clutched the paper tight in his left hand and his luggage even tighter in his right.  
  
"Twelve Sycamore Way, Stafford, England." Harry pronounced carefully. Within a few minutes Harry emerged through the green ash to see the rest of the Weasleys, Hermione and her parents and a boy he'd never seen before. Ron and the twins immediately rushed to help brush the ash off of Harry's shoulders and hair. In a minute, Mrs. Weasley appeared and introductions began. Harry already knew Hermione's parents and was extremely anxious for Hermione to get to the older boy.  
  
"This is my mom and dad, and this is my older brother Kurt. He's in college now." Harry and Ron looked at each other in surprise. Hermione had never mentioned a brother before. Harry could remember that she may have mentioned the name Kurt before, but she had never said that he was her brother.  
  
Nevertheless, they all smiled and said hello. While Mr. and Mrs. Weasley drifted over to chat with Hermione's parents, Ron and Harry went to catch up with Hermione. Harry noticed that Mr. Weasley wasted no time and immediately drew Mr. Granger over to the television set near the window.   
  
"Does it really rot your brain?" Mr. Weasley asked in a serious voice.  
  
"Hey, Hermie! Long time, no see," Ron said sarcastically. Hermione glared at him.  
  
"You sound like a bloody Neanderthal!" Just then, Fred and George entered the conversation.  
  
"Oh, Ron, you forgot your club." Fred stood in a hunch and pretended to hit Ron over the head with an imaginary club while George made ape noises.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and Kurt made a pretentious "hmph" sound through his nose.  
  
"So," Harry interrupted, "What's this new job of yours?" Hermione blushed.  
  
"Well, it's not much, but I need the money to buy my car when I turn 18." Ron interrupted her.  
  
"But that's almost 3 years away! 


	5. Warning!

Sorry, but we realized we don't have the time to write a full length novel. So we'll just give you the highlights we've already written. Thanks! ~Celest and Desiree 


	6. Sorting

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It was a chilly night. The moon was barely visible through the fog. "Oh, come on!" said Hermione, her teeth chattering while she looked in every direction for the carriages. "There they are!" she exclaimed excitedly.  
  
They went into the Great Hall, releived that it was much warmer inside. They sat down at the Gryffindor Table and immediatley started chatting with the people they didn't get a chance to talk to on the train.  
  
"Shh! It's starting," said Hermione as Proffesor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on the stool, with a trail of small students behind her. But there were two people that stood out from the crowd.  
  
"Aren't they a little old to be sorted?" said Ron, pointing to the two girls side by side. The first girl was pale, tall, and very pretty, with a hat much too large for her head. The brim fell over her icy gray eyes, and Harry couldn't tell if she was merely proud or if she had to hold her head so high to keep it from covering her face. The second girl looked slightly older and tall, with flowing auburn hair and a pretty face. In fact, the only thing wrong with her face was the fact that it looked extremely nervous. But the first girl had a confident smile on her face and looked immensly interested in her new home for the next nine months. A large rip on the Sorting Hat near the brim opened and it began to sing.  
  
Welcome all, the young who've come  
  
to embark on learning the very first time,   
  
those somewhat familar with magic,  
  
and wizards already at their prime.  
  
The hat paused, and Hermione nodded towards the older girls whom, by now, many were whispering about. The taller girl turned slightly back towards the house tables, flashing a set of large deep eyes that flicker nervously among the crowd. The shorter girl swayed gracefully to turn around, and a glimmer of silver seemed to catch the light as she turned. She seemed to be staring right into Ron, almost through him. Ron felt this warmth sweep over him when the other girl whispered something in her ear, and she turned around quickly leaving and emptiness where the magic had just surged.  
  
If you are quite surprised  
  
that this old hat can sing a tune  
  
then step right up; try me on for size  
  
you'll find I do more than just croon.  
  
For I can tell you more than you know  
  
All that is inside your head,  
  
I can't put you where you don't belong,  
  
but I'll sort you right instead.  
  
One of the deep folds that seemed to look like an eye, appeared to wink at Harry. He wished he would have been sung this version in his first year, so to alleviate his woes that he didn't belong in Gryffindor. The Sorting hat had nearly put him in Slytherin, the Hogwarts house that held the most dark wizards. These vexations were eased when he was able to pull Godric Gryffindor's sword from the Sorting hat and destroy Voldemort once again in his second year.  
  
Some will be called to Gryffindor,  
  
the valiant and brave.  
  
Others will be called to Hufflepuff  
  
with virtue even beyond the grave.  
  
Many of the faces in the room grew sullen, especially at the Hufflepuff table. Harry could hear some muffed sniffles coming from the Ravenclaw table, and turned to she Cho with her head resting on another girl's shoulder. Harry felt a pang of guilt and sadness, but realized that the tight feeling like butterflies in his stomach was no longer there. After last year's events, he couldn't feel the same way about Cedric's girlfriend.  
  
Some will be called to Ravenclaw,  
  
where intelligence is the highest feat  
  
Others will be called to Slytherin  
  
where they go to any means to make ends meet.  
  
So step to my stool  
  
and take a deep sigh  
  
I will tell you which house  
  
in which you lie.  
  
As the Sorting Hat finished, the Great Hall was filled with applause. Professor McGonagall took out a scroll of parchment. "When I call out your name, you will put on the hat, and sit down to be sorted. Then you shall join your new classmates. Adams, Brandon!" Brandon sat on the stool and put on the Sorting hat. After a few minutes, the Sorting Hat called out, "Ravenclaw!" The Ravenclaw Table was happily applauding. "Brass, Peter!" Peter sat on the stool and placed the Sorting Hat over his head. "Slytherin!" Harry and Ron hissed him down to his seat where he was merrily shaking hands with Malfoy. "Caito, Carrie." Carrie, looking extremely nervous, Sat on the stool for quite some time, until "Hufflepuff!"  
  
"Chang, ______" A tiny dark haired girl skipped up to the stool to put the large hat on her head.  
  
"Ravenclaw!" It shouted. The little girl jumped up excitedly.  
  
"That must be Cho's little sister." Hermione said. Cho was clapping enthusiastically from the Ravenclaw table, and caught the the little girl in a big hug as she skipped to her.  
  
"Cyrus, Lindsay" became the first Gryffindor. "Delacour, Celest!"  
  
"Hey!" said Harry to a surprised Ron, "Just like Fleur last year!" Ron hadn't blinked since she had entered the room. "Funny, she doesn't look like a veela..." Harry said. Ron didn't respond as he was still fixated on the girl as she floated towards the front (amidst Fred and George's whistles). The girl's already nervous red face blushed even more as she stepped up to the stool.  
  
Ron cleared his throat: "That would explain alot though..." Hermione gave an exasperated sigh as she looked back between the two and muttered something that sounded like 'boys' . The taller of the two girls, Celest, sat on the stool for only a few seconds, then "Gryffindor!" She took a seat next to Fred, and George glared jealously at him from the other end of the table. Fred subtly turned to make a face at George, and then turned to welcome the new member of Gryffindor.  
  
"Delacour, Desiree!" Hermione gave a start.  
  
"What? They look nothing alike!"  
  
"Maybe it's a VERY popular name over in France or wherever." Ron said dazedly following Celest to her place next to Fred, who eagerly offered a seat. Desiree came up, took off her witch's hat quickly and very carefully, and jammed the Sorting Hat on her head. She sat on the stool for a while, and then the hat proclaimed, "Gryffindor!" She took back her hat from Professor McGonagall, and put it back on her head, in the blink of an eye. She walked to the Gryffindor Table and took a seat next to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They sat in silence until "Zachar, Marie" became a Hufflepuff and Professor McGonagall put the stool and the Sorting Hat on. Dumbledore stood up, and the chatter of excitement ceased.  
  
"I'm sure you all won't mind me stating a few start-of-term notices," he said, eyes twinkling. "I would like to introduce to you our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Delacour. But I'm sure many of you already know her," he said over the loud applause she was recieving. "Also, note that the Dark Forest is still forbidden to all students, and Mr. Filch has added Fillibuster's Fireworks and Dungbombs to the restricted list, after the incident in the Hufflepuff Common Room last year. We will continue with Quidditch this year, and we will be having a few balls, one on Halloween, one on New Year's Eve, and one at the end of the year, in June. Now, let the feast begin." Dumbledore sat down and immediately began a conversation with Fleur.  
  
"Hi. I'm Desiree Delacour, I'm fifteen years old, and just transferred here from Beauxbatons, with my two step-sisters, Celest and Natala. Celest is in her 6th year. What year are you in?" Desiree looked from Harry, to Hermione, to Ron, who had a look of disbeleif on his face as to how anyone could be so talkative on her first day of school. Hermione elbowed the two boys and said,"I'm Hermione Granger. Nice to meet you."  
  
"Ow! I'm Ron Weasley", said Ron.  
  
"And I'm Ha-" Harry began, but was cut off. "Oh! I know who you are! You're Harry Potter! My cousin told me all about you," said Desiree. She seemed awful freindly and very out-going. When the feast finally ended, they had learned an awful lot about Desiree. Her mother died giving birth to her, and 11 years later, her father re-married Celest's mother. Celest is sixteen, and Natala is 10. They transferred to Hogwarts because of a job offer from the Ministry of Magic, and Desiree's favorite color is orange. Hermione showed Desiree to her room, and helped her unpack a few things while the boys went to their dormitory.   
  
"What about that Desiree, eh?" said Ron while they were changing into their pajamas. "She was very talkative. Not even nervous at all!" They got into their four-posters and sat quietly for a few minutes, then Ron said, "I reckon she could turn out to be a very good friend for Hermione. Be good for her to have another girl around." Then, yawning, he turned around and fell asleep before even waiting to hear an answer form Harry. But Harry was too excited to sleep. His head was spinning with everything that had happened in one day. But eventually, he drifted off to sleep.  
  
************************************************************************************************  
  
Harry was walking through the woods, trying to get to something at the other end of the Dark Forest. It was calling out to him, in an un-earthly voice. "Harry, Harry! Come to me Harry, come to me. Yes that's right. A-"   
  
"Harry? What are you doing?" It was Desiree.  
  
"W-what?! Why are you in the boys' dormitory?" Harry asked her. She had an odd look on her face.   
  
"Boys' dormitory? Harry, you're in the Common Room. I came down here to get a glass of water, and saw you heading out of the portrait." She looked cocerned. "Are you feeling okay? Maybe you should go back to bed. Here, you go upstairs and to the left. That's where the boy's dorm is. I'll go get my water and-d'ya want me to get the nurse?"  
  
"What? Oh, no I'm fine. I just need to go back to bed." But he couldn't get back to sleep. It was just too weird. This was the third time it's happened in three months. Then Harry, exhausted, and very confused, fell back to sleep.  
  
*************************************************************************************************  
  
At breakfast the next morning, Desiree kept looking uneasily at Harry, and jumped when anyone said something. She did, however, keep whispering to her older sister. Fred and George were handing out course schedules. "Excellent!" said Ron, looking at Desiree's schedule. "You're in all the same classes as us! Oh, but look! Double Divination-first thing in the morning!" Desiree snapped out of her trance.  
  
"Divination? Oh, I love it! It was my favorite class at Beauxbatons," she said. Ron and Harry looked at each other, trying not to laugh. "Oh, you just wait," Ron said. "You're gonna LOVE Professor Trelawny!"  
  
"You have to do this for every Divination lesson?" Desiree, said, gasping for breath. "Where'd Hermione go?"  
  
"She takes Arithmancy instead of Divination. Bit wise, if you ask me. Wish I could," Ron answered. They finally arrived at the step-ladder to Professor Trelawny's classroom. As they descended, Harry whispered to Ron, "Should we warn her about, ya know?"  
  
""Are you kidding? It'd take all the fun out of it!" Ron grinned and jerked his head towards one of the tables further from Professor Trelawny.   
  
"Hey!" Desiree's voice startled them. "What were you two whispering about back there?"   
  
"We'll tell you later, okay?" said Harry. Desiree raised her eyebrow, and was just about to say something, when Professor Trelawny entered the room. She shut her mouth and sat down at the table with Ron and Harry. "What was it?" she whispered to them. Ron just grinned and pointed to Professor Trelawny, who was beginning the lesson.   
  
"Good morning, students. For our first lesson, we will study Aeromancy, a form of Divination based on storms or cloud patterns. Please turn to page 61 in your books. Bring them with you, and we will go outside to continue the lesson." Even though it was Divination, it was good to have an excuse to be outside in such good weather. It was a sunny day, with a slight breeze, and with big, fluffy, white clouds. They all went down by the lake, where there was the best view of the clouds.  
  
"This doesn't make sense. That big one, just there, looks like a chicken with it's head cut off!" proclaimed Ron after quite some time. There is a chicken in the glossary, and a headless goat too, but the chicken means that someone close to me is an enemy, and the headless goat means that I have very trustworthy friends and companions." At this, Harry and Desiree burst out laughing, and only stopped when Professor Trelawny came over to see the cause of the noise. Ron quickly coughed to alert Harry and Desiree.  
  
"Here, let me help you with your interpretations." Ron's grin suddenly vanished from his face. "Hmm... let's see, a scorpion. You are in danger. And, oh my-!" she gasped dramatically,"The Grim!" She saw the look almost everyone else gave her, and quickly turned to help Parvati and Lavender. By the end of the lesson, Desiree was looking worriedly at Harry, but then Ron said, "Don't worry about her. She usually does that about once a week."  
  
"Are you sure? I mean-" Desiree said, looking uncomfortable.   
  
"Yeah, don't worry. She's a right old fraud," whispered Harry. That seemed to cheer up Desiree a bit. "So.... What were you two whispering about?"she said, giggling.  
  
"You just don't quit, do you?" said Ron, laughing.  
  
"Who me?" she said in mock surprise. Laughing, they made their way back up to the castle.   
  
************************************************************************************************ 


	7. Defense Against the Dark Arts Class

The class waited patiently for Defense Against the Dark Arts to begin, many of the boys had brought roses. Sighing, Hermione went to sit at the back with Desiree (for the boys had already taken the front seats), and got out her book. At that moment, the door opened and Professor Delacour came in. She saw the boys' roses, and rolled her eyes [rolleyes]. "Good Morning, class. I am your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Delacour. Many of you already know me from last year, but let's not get into that. So, for our first lesson, we will all turn to page 44, and read aloud the chapter on Voodoo." There was a ruffle of the girls turning the pages in the book, but the boys, who were obviously not listening, still had their books lying face up.   
  
"Oh, my..."said Desiree, shaking her head (which made her over-large hat wobble, and nearly fall off.) They spent the rest of Defense Against the Dark Arts copying notes off of the board. Then they went back to the Great Hall for lunch.  
  
"That was some lesson wasn't it?" said Ron dreamily, bumping into some third years with out even noticing while he was staring into space. Hermione rolled her eyes at him, and they were just about to giggle when Malfoy came over. "Having fun ladies?" he sneered at the boys. Desiree didn't know him that well, but she didn't seem to like him much. "Actually, yes we were, but then you came over," she retorted. Malfoy turned pink, and motioned to Crabbe and Goyle that it was time to go. Laughing, they finished lunch and headed down to the Dungeons for double period Potions with the Slytherins. Potions went unusually well, they took notes on love potions, and prepared their own, but Snape forbid them to leave with the potions(so they couldn't use them). He assigned an essay about Love Potions to be turned in the next week. After Potions, they had supper, and headed back to the Common Room. Instead of starting on Potions, like Hermione did, Desiree watched Harry and Ron play Exploding Snap with Fred and George.  
  
"No offense Desiree, but do you ever take your hat off?" Ron asked after losing badly to Fred. Desiree blushed and said,"Well, yeah, but I just like wearing hats."  
  
"Oh, okay," siad Ron, and he went back to the game while Desiree breathed a small sigh of relief. After at least an hour of Exploding Snap, they all went to bed.  
  
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End file.
